The present invention is concerned with providing a desired organoleptic quality in compositions which are consumed or used in the mouth, and, in particular, it is directed to providing a organoleptic bite quality to such compositions.
In recent history it has been known to provide compositions which are to be ingested or used in the oral cavity with ingredients or combinations of ingredients to achieve various organoleptic effects. In the case of food items, such ingredients or combinations of ingredients need only provide a temporary effect since the food product is digested and does not, necessarily, remain for extended periods of time in the oral cavity. With regard to those compositions which are destined for extended resident time in the oral cavity, however, the ingredient must be incorporated in a way to provide a sustained sensation.
In the case of chewing gums, for example, which are retained in the oral cavity usually for extended periods of time, ingredients must be incorporated in amounts and in a manner whereby the desired organoleptic sensation is retained over the period of time of use by the consumer. Thus, sweeteners, acidulants, flavorants, and other sensation-producing components can be incorporated, for example, as an encapsulated ingredient(s) dispersed throughout the gum matrix or base so that the overall sensation is sustained for a period of time.
More recently, public attention has been directed to other compositions which are used for extended periods of time in the oral cavity such as tobacco chew and snuff material, basically because of the ill effects experienced through the use of nicotine-containing material. To this end, recently issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,315 assigned to the same assignee as in the present application as well as pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 907,402 also commonly assigned to the assignee herein, are directed to providing tobaccoless chewing and snuff compositions to ameliorate the harmful effects associated with addictive use of tobacco-containing chewing and snuff compositions. These disclosures are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.
Other references directed to reducing the use of nicotine by decreasing the amount of nicotine-containing material are U.S. Pat. No. 2,930,720 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,068, both to Finberg, which disclose smoking and snuff compositions which are substantially nicotine-free. Both of these disclosures include use of non-tobacco leaves, namely papaya leaves.
Other patents relating to nicotine problem include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,112,754; 3,323,524 as well as British Patent No. 842 granted in 1766.
It is important that those compositions which are intended to replace nicotine-containing material or tobacco, possess as nearly as possible the same organoleptic sensations so that the user will be encouraged to use the substitute in place of the tobacco-containing substance. Thus in order to approximate as nearly as possible the oral sensation of tobacco in mucosal tissue, it is desirable to provide the sensation commonly referred to as organoleptic bite found in the tobacco-containing materials. This organoleptic sensation can be difficult to produce, since an increase in additives which provide a bite can create an undesirably high intensity burning sensation and hot spots in the compositions.
However, as a result of the present invention the above-describe problems and other problems relating to providing an organoleptic bite sensation have been overcome.